Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. 2446
Letter CXXXVI. 2445
1. In what state the good Isaaces has found me, he himself will best explain to you;
though his tongue cannot be tragic enough to describe my sufferings, so great was my illness.
However, any one who knows me ever so little, will be able to conjecture what it was. For,
if when I am called well, I am weaker even than persons who are given over, you may fancy
what I was when thus ill. Yet, since disease is my natural state, it would follow (let a fever
have its jest) that in this change of habit, my health became especially flourishing. But it is
the scourge of the Lord which goes on increasing my pain according to my deserts; therefore
I have received illness upon illness, so that now even a child may see that this shell of mine
must for certain fail, unless perchance, God’s mercy vouchsafe to me, in His long suffering,
time for repentance, and now, as often before, extricate me from evils beyond human cure.
This shall be, as it is pleasing to Him and good for myself.
2. I need hardly tell you how deplorable and hopeless is the condition of the Churches.
Now, for the sake of our own safety, we neglect our neighbour’s, and do not even seem able
to see that general disaster involves individual ruin. Least of all need I say this to one who,
like yourself, foresaw the future from afar, and has foretold and proclaimed it and has been
among the first to be roused, and to rouse the rest, writing letters, coming yourself in person,
leaving no deed undone, no word unspoken. I remember this in every instance, but yet we
are none the better off. Now, indeed, were not my sins in the way, (first of all, my dear
brother the reverend deacon Eustathius fell seriously ill and detained me two whole months,
looking day by day for his restoration to health; and then all about me fell sick; brother
Isaaces will tell you the rest; then last of all I myself was attacked by this complaint) I should
long ago have been to see your excellency, not indeed thereby to try to improve the general
state of affairs, but to get some good for myself from your society. I had made up my mind
to get out of the reach of the ecclesiastical artillery, because I am quite unprepared to meet
my enemies’ attacks. May God’s mighty hand preserve you for all of us, as a noble guardian
of the faith, and a vigilant champion of the Churches; and grant me, before I die, to meet
you for the comfort of my soul.
2445 Placed in 373.
2446 On his own sickness and the troubles of the Church. On his bad health, cf. Letters ix., xxvii., cxcviii.,
ccii., cciii., and ccxvi. The translation of the first section is Newman’s.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.
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